I wouldn't be upset if they made an offer to RFA Denario Alexander. SD tendered him at the lowest level, and I think he's worth a look, although I admittedly don't know a lot about his knee issues, which have been somewhat numerous, IIRC.

Under this regime, their MO has always been to fill holes with free agents so there is no glaring position of need going into the draft. IMO, that has been one if their strongest, most consistent tendencies.
I think there is little chance they roll into the draft without shoring up the weak spots so they can go BPA on draft day.
And absolutely zero chance that they will need a draftee to step in as WR2.

why not just have an open comp of fa's to fill our #2 wr . . . offer up the 2 yr/$2 mil per w/ incentives deal and see who comes calling to tryouts . . . it's not like anyone's beating down their doors right now . . .

IMO, Texans should focus their pre-draft efforts on signing some OL depth (Harris). What really killed the team down the stretch was the inability to run the ball very well. Texans are at their best when Foster gets his 30 touches and the team can control the clock by getting first downs on the ground. Then, mix in the play-action and the bootlegs and open up the field. Let the run help the passing game. I'd be talking with Winston again if he'd listen.

There really isn't anything to get in the WR market, unless you want to take some shots in the dark on guys who may have had previous success.

Other than that, I could see a defensive signing for some LB depth, but the team will probably hang tight until the draft.

but GM Rick Smith must emerge from the draft with two or three defensive starters while also selecting a No. 2 receiver.

i dont really agree with that. we need a #2 wide receiver, and that's pretty much our only starting need. nose tackle, outside linebacker, and inside linebacker all have "just a guy" types on the roster who can start opening day provided we're able to draft/sign depth. sure it'd be nice to hammer 4 positions with starters (and we very well might) through the draft, but i dont think it's that dire with studs all around them to pick up the slack.

i dont really agree with that. we need a #2 wide receiver, and that's pretty much our only starting need. nose tackle, outside linebacker, and inside linebacker all have "just a guy" types on the roster who can start opening day provided we're able to draft/sign depth. sure it'd be nice to hammer 4 positions with starters (and we very well might) through the draft, but i dont think it's that dire with studs all around them to pick up the slack.

While I do agree with others that it's prudent to have most if not all starters in place before the draft, I also don't think it had to be that way.

With certain positions like the #2 receiver, another deep draft means that some of those guys will be a starter comes next season. As a result, some UFAs will be forced to sit home watching the tube. A guy like Walter could be just a phone call away for vet minimum.

Same thing at RT; it's not a sure thing that Winston or some other guys will find a home. Then there's always Ryan Harris.

Caldwell or somebody else; Cody or somebody else; somehow, I think there will still be a guy or two that you can sign at vet minimum.

It might be best to wait for the rest of the teams who have abundance of cap space to overpay before we swoop in for the best of the rest.

The Colts for example, had spent a bunch of money that many believe is "excess" over value.

Teams like the Skins and the Cowboys also benefit us in the FA game by losing a ton of their cap space (and therefore were forced to be extra prudent with their acquisitions.)

While I do agree with others that it's prudent to have most if not all starters in place before the draft, I also don't think it had to be that way.

With certain positions like the #2 receiver, another deep draft means that some of those guys will be a starter comes next season. As a result, some UFAs will be forced to sit home watching the tube. A guy like Walter could be just a phone call away for vet minimum.

Same thing at RT; it's not a sure thing that Winston or some other guys will find a home. Then there's always Ryan Harris.

Caldwell or somebody else; Cody or somebody else; somehow, I think there will still be a guy or two that you can sign at vet minimum.

It might be best to wait for the rest of the teams who have abundance of cap space to overpay before we swoop in for the best of the rest.

this isn't the draft class to find a rookie wr that's ready to contribute from day 1 . . . we need at least 1 fa wr and i'm ok with resigning walter for min+, but we have an opportunity to at least upgrade now . . . some are talking about barden . . . hixon is the better wr to steal away from ny while they try to resign both hicks and cruz . . .

and w/ a 4th, we can find a starter on the ol if our own haven't developed.

this isn't the draft class to find a rookie wr that's ready to contribute from day 1 . . . we need at least 1 fa wr and i'm ok with resigning walter for min+, but we have an opportunity to at least upgrade now . . . some are talking about barden . . . hixon is the better wr to steal away from ny while they try to resign both hicks and cruz . . .

and w/ a 4th, we can find a starter on the ol if our own haven't developed.

seems there will be a lot of guys playing for the vet min this year.

Sur, we all like to sign as many players that we love to have, but there are still teams out there with a ton of cap space that we don't want to engage in a bidding wars with like the Browns, the Bengals, the Dolphins, to name a few.

What we have over them is the possibility to go all the way.
It does help us in term of adding LBTE incentives to make the contract more attractive while those teams have to up their ante straight away for FAs.

this isn't the draft class to find a rookie wr that's ready to contribute from day 1 . . . we need at least 1 fa wr and i'm ok with resigning walter for min+, but we have an opportunity to at least upgrade now . . . some are talking about barden . . . hixon is the better wr to steal away from ny while they try to resign both hicks and cruz . . .

and w/ a 4th, we can find a starter on the ol if our own haven't developed.

seems there will be a lot of guys playing for the vet min this year.

I don't agree that this isn't the draft class to find a rookie wr that's ready to contribute from day 1. I love this wr class. I believe that Hopkins, Allen, Austin, and some of the others will contribute right from the get go.

I don't agree that this isn't the draft class to find a rookie wr that's ready to contribute from day 1. I love this wr class. I believe that Hopkins, Allen, Austin, and some of the others will contribute right from the get go.

I think we should take two recievers in this draft. But where we are picking in the first, I am in the Keenan Allen camp myself.

ILB - They ned a couple guys here as both James , Dobbins and Ruud are FA's tho I dont think they have signed elsewhere. They need to add at least two bodies here while improving the position.

RT - Newton isnt going to do a thing in offseason workouts and I have my doubts about him to begin with , Ryan Harris was not resigned (Yet). They have two healthy tackles on the roster - Brown and Gardner. If I was Matt Schaub I'd be practicing my fetal position ....

NT - I expect Mitchell and Crick to get the bulk of the work at NT as a cost cutting move but I could also see them signing another guy to a vet min kind of deal here because Crick was the third DE behind Watt and Ninja.

I don't agree that this isn't the draft class to find a rookie wr that's ready to contribute from day 1. I love this wr class. I believe that Hopkins, Allen, Austin, and some of the others will contribute right from the get go.

all i'm hearing is this is a great possession receiver class w/ no real #1 types . . . i really hope we don't spend a 1st on a possession wr, but instead draft a starter next to cushing . . . but, i'm all for a wr in the 2nd as that's when we'll get value . . . s and nt w/ our 2-3's and we've got solid rotation . . . ol in the 4th . . .

Sur, we all like to sign as many players that we love to have, but there are still teams out there with a ton of cap space that we don't want to engage in a bidding wars with like the Browns, the Bengals, the Dolphins, to name a few.

What we have over them is the possibility to go all the way.
It does help us in term of adding LBTE incentives to make the contract more attractive while those teams have to up their ante straight away for FAs.

Still, we have to watch our wallet, so to speak.

i'm not saying getting into a bidding war . . . i'm saying put it all out there and say "we are going to the superbowl and need a #2 wr starter . . . who's with us?" . . . 2 yrs @ 2 mil ea w/ incentives beats the min and allows us to see what we got and vise versa . . . if it's all good, the deal gets extended next year . . .

ILB - They ned a couple guys here as both James , Dobbins and Ruud are FA's tho I dont think they have signed elsewhere. They need to add at least two bodies here while improving the position.

RT - Newton isnt going to do a thing in offseason workouts and I have my doubts about him to begin with , Ryan Harris was not resigned (Yet). They have two healthy tackles on the roster - Brown and Gardner. If I was Matt Schaub I'd be practicing my fetal position ....

NT - I expect Mitchell and Crick to get the bulk of the work at NT as a cost cutting move but I could also see them signing another guy to a vet min kind of deal here because Crick was the third DE behind Watt and Ninja.

CB - I could see a cheap signing here as they did lose Alan Ball.

Did Crick play the nose at all last year? He's in the mid 280's. we're ****ed if those two are getting the majority of the snaps at NT. Teams are going to kill us up the middle. Our ILB's are going to be a mash unit AGAIN. Cushing will get wore down so fast he'll be worthless by the time the playoffs come around.

Unless Patterson falls we better go NT in the first. Of course that could change if we sign someone via FA.

__________________
"I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots." Albert Einstein

I wonder how high of a draft pick we could get for A Smith? I love Smith but if we could get a 2nd or 3rd round pick for him and at the same time free up that big salary of his, we could sign a couple of free agents like Seymour and Hampton to one year deals.

Just thinking out loud!

As I understand, if Smith is cut or traded $3.5m dead money counts against 2013 cap.

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I want to be able to recognize the difference between a "want" and a "need" and then I want to be satisfied with getting a need

As I understand, if Smith is cut or traded $3.5m dead money counts against 2013 cap.

If he plays for us this year, he'll count more. I want to say $9M, but it might be $6M. Either way, we have more cap room without him. However, I'm not too confident in our depth; Crick & Jamison. Wade may be, & that's all that matters.

Did Crick play the nose at all last year? He's in the mid 280's. we're ****ed if those two are getting the majority of the snaps at NT. Teams are going to kill us up the middle. Our ILB's are going to be a mash unit AGAIN. Cushing will get wore down so fast he'll be worthless by the time the playoffs come around.

Unless Patterson falls we better go NT in the first. Of course that could change if we sign someone via FA.

My money says that ain't gonna happen. E.F. Hutton said WR and we all know what happens when he speaks.

Did Crick play the nose at all last year? He's in the mid 280's. we're ****ed if those two are getting the majority of the snaps at NT. Teams are going to kill us up the middle. Our ILB's are going to be a mash unit AGAIN. Cushing will get wore down so fast he'll be worthless by the time the playoffs come around.

Unless Patterson falls we better go NT in the first. Of course that could change if we sign someone via FA.

Crick did play inside some last year but that was mostly on passing downs not as a true nose.

Ive heard talk of this froma couple sources .... not that it matters but I believe it makes economic sense if nothing else. NT/DT tends to be an expensive position .... If this is their plan , I still believe they have to bring in one more guy on the DL as Crick was the primary backup for Watt and Ninja ... They need someone capable for that role.

Tim Jamison also saw time at both DT and DE .... and played pretty damn well until being injured.

I think Mitchell , Crick and Jamison can handle the NT spot and back up the DE position .... but that leaves them one injury away from a crisis at two positions.

As I understand, if Smith is cut or traded $3.5m dead money counts against 2013 cap.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

If he plays for us this year, he'll count more. I want to say $9M, but it might be $6M. Either way, we have more cap room without him. However, I'm not too confident in our depth; Crick & Jamison. Wade may be, & that's all that matters.

If Antonio plays for the Texans this year, the Texans will have to fork out $6M in cash to pay him.
They will incur a $9.5M cap charge.

So if they cut him, they have $6M to spend.

However, there's no true 34DE on the FA market that is anywhere his caliber.
There will be several of them next year though.

Like Lucky said; if you cut him, you only create a different hole with nothing to fill.